Ryan Dempster and Ervin Santana face off in the middle game of the Red Sox-Royals series, both coming off very strong outings. Despite having sub-3 ERAs, Dempster and Santana are a combined 1-2, due to low run support and a couple of bullpen failures. In Santana’s first three starts in a Royals uniform, his team has only scored a total of seven runs, and for Dempster, he has had two potential wins taken away by blown saves by the Sox bullpen.

Dempster will enter his third consecutive Fenway start at 0-1 with a 2.65 ERA. He has struck out at least seven batters in each of his first three starts with his new team and is among the league leaders in K’s and K/9. Dempster’s last start was his best, featuring seven innings of one-run ball against the Rays. He allowed only two hits, one of them a solo home run to Evan Longoria. He also allowed two walks and struck out 10, leaving in position for the win after seven innings.

“Wins are great,” Dempster said. “I’d love to win as many games as I possibly can. I’ve always said if I start 34 games in a season and we go 34-0 and I don’t win any of those games, I’m totally happy with that. I mean that. Anytime I can start a ballgame and we win that ballgame, that’s all that matters.”

Like Dempster, Santana is in his first season with a new club. After spending his first eight seasons with the Angels, he was traded to the Royals on Oct. 31, 2012. While with the Angels, Santana went 96-80 with a 4.33 ERA and was an All-Star in 2008.

In 2013, Santana is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He has pitched eight innings in each of his last two starts, allowing only two earned runs combined, and picking up his first victory on April 8.

In his career vs. the Red Sox, Santana is 3-3 with a 4.13 ERA, with 57 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings. He also has two postseason appearances vs. the Sox, going two shutout innings in relief in the 2007 ALDS, and getting a no-decision in 5 1/3 innings of five-run ball in his Game 2 start in the 2008 ALDS.

It’s no surprise that Mike Napoli has the best career numbers vs. Santana, given that they were batterymates during their Angels days. He has hit .400 off of Santana with three home runs in his career. Meanwhile, Jeff Francoeurhits Dempster at a .353 clip, including one home run.